Deep Rivers
by Kurt's Anatomy
Summary: In New York at Nationals, Kurt witnesses something extraordinary and has to use newfound strength to help someone innocent. When he does, he's kidnapped by somebody who needs his particular gifts and won't stop until he attains them. But Kurt doesn't expect to fall for him along the way. Dark fic.
1. Before Time Runs Out

Chapter 1- Before Time Runs Out

* * *

Kurt knew that the moment Finn and Rachel had kissed at the end of _Pretending_ that the New Direction were not taking home the Nationals trophy that year. It was evident in the aghast expressions that had consumed the majority of the audience. Santana had been correct. It was tacky and disgusting and way too personal to be displayed in front of a televised audience. Even though _Light Up The World_ had been extremely stellar, it had not been enough. But at least Vocal Adrenaline hadn't won. That was something good to come out the competition, at least.

Quinn was currently covering for him as Kurt had needed some time alone.

He _needed_ be in New York after graduation. Rachel or no Rachel he was attending. Preferably Juilliard, but he would see what would happen during senior year, which used to seem so far away when he had had no friends. He had come to the startling revelation that he would kind of miss high school just a little bit. Just a little bit, though. No need to over exaggerate things.

He wandered the Manhattan streets quickly, loving the very atmosphere that pulsed through the vein of the city, the people like blood cells, all needing to get somewhere, all contributing to the city's overall heartbeat. Kurt knew there was a reason that it never slept and this was it. He just hoped Quinn had a good excuse for Mr. Schuester because Kurt was not ready to head back to the hotel.

Just as he was about to cross onto another block, he heard shouting piercing the night air like a bullet. Kurt hated back alleyways; they were epicentres for trouble. Stabbings, shootings, robberies, every kind of crime took place in a dark alley somewhere.

Something inside Kurt snapped and suddenly he felt courage surging through him, replacing his blood. Adrenaline powered him up and he was ready, ready to take on whatever lay around that corner.

So he marched, unfettered by the wind, around the corner and came face to face with the true horror within.

Two men were harassing a girl, lifting up her skirt and groping her in places she was clearly uncomfortable with.

"Please stop this," she protested weakly as they slapped a hand over her mouth so they wouldn't hear her screams.

"I don't think you want to that," Kurt said boldly and the two men whipped their heads around to see the source of the disturbance.

The man closest to Kurt was lean, probably in his forties with a mess of facial hair decorating his expression, which was closer to mirth that anything else Kurt recognised.

The other man was shorter and dumpier than the other, probably around the same age. It was almost like they fit together, contrasting appearances making for a stronger bond. But Kurt wanted to _sever_ that.

And it was almost like he could.

An unknown feeling surged through him and took control of his body, as if he was but a vessel to something more potent than he was. Leaves snapped at his feet at his eyes shut themselves, his lips whispering words he knew not. Kurt was sure they were a different language, but how did he know it? He was fluent in English, French and German but this wasn't any of the three.

The men widened their eyes as the woman slipped out of their grasps, sprinting away into the darkness. Neither of the men chased her though; they were much too transfixed on the boy in front of them whose nose was bleeding and who was seemingly controlling the gusts that whipped around them.

Kurt's hands splayed in front of him and the men flew backwards, an invisible force pushing hard against their chests, shoving them far away from Kurt. The boy in question stood, shocked, power blazing potently from his hands and every point on his body.

"What the fuck?" He whispered to himself, feeling the winds die down and everything in his vicinity returned the normal, the stillness alarming him. He rotated completely, checking for anything abnormal or anybody who may have seen his unusual actions.

There was nobody around.

Or so Kurt originally thought.

"Fascinating," a voice muttered from behind him. Kurt whipped around, seeing an attractive man skulking through the alley towards him. "Don't worry, love, I'm not going to harm you."

"I wish I could say the same," Kurt snapped, his voice low, trying to summon the harsh gales from a few moments earlier.

The man chuckled condescendingly. "Oh, you couldn't hurt me. Don't worry about that either."

"What do you want?"

"I'm intrigued. Not many humans would go out of their way to save somebody they didn't know."

"I guess I'm special," Kurt replied, a smirk dancing on his lips.

"Oh, there's no doubt about that. What you just did was proof enough of that."

"Who _are_ you?"

"You can simply call me Klaus."

"You're German?"

Klaus smirked. "Not quite. Now what may I call a beautiful man such as yourself?"

"Kurt."

"Are _you_ German?"

"My father's mother is."

"Klaus and Kurt…hmm, yes. That has a rather dainty little ring to it, don't you think?"

Kurt narrowed his eyes slightly, stopping the wind that threatened to whip behind him. "Why would it need to be a thing? You're a stranger and I doubt we'll ever meet again."

Klaus parted his lips and dragged his tongue around them slowly. "Well, Kurt, this isn't the last we are going to see of each other. Certainly not. I have plenty of uses for a person of your particular talents. I sense your power and I can make it triple what it is now. In return of course, for something that I require."

"How is it that you _sense_ my power when I literally had no idea I could even do anything like that until just then?"

Klaus hummed. "Let's just say I have a knack for detecting inner potential. I've been searching for somebody like you, Kurt. You're powerful, immensely so, but you can also hold your own in a fight. You're brave, as proven tonight and I appreciate the fact that I cannot place the colour of your eyes."

Kurt was glad that somebody finally noticed his eyes, despite the fact that Klaus was inordinately creepy. His mother had always described his eyes like 'multi-coloured, kaleidoscopic clouds' due to the fact that they seemed to shift their hues frequently, not even dependant on his mood. It was random and Kurt sometimes hated it, but he enjoyed having a rare set of eyes. But nobody had picked up on it. Not even his best friends had noticed the changes. But a stranger in a New York alley suddenly noticed. Klaus _did_ seem strangely observant.

"Nobody has pointed that out before, have they?"

Kurt was stunned. Klaus seemed to know everything going on in his head. "Nobody since my mother."

"You mean she…?"

Kurt nodded silently, unsure why he was discussing such things with a stranger.

"Well, I apologise for your loss. I know what it is like to lose people. I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say that you don't really belong where you are.

"And you long for something more than the feeble life you're living."

Kurt snorted. "You're two for two."

"I thought so," Klaus said smugly, "you see, I can offer you an out from your humdrum reality. My journey is quite unlike anything you'll have experienced before. I'm going places you've never dreamed of and doing things even fiction couldn't detail."

Kurt tilted his head. "Is this the moment where I'm supposed to wake up now?"

"If you consider yourself unconscious, is this a dream or a nightmare?"

Kurt shrugged. "It could be slightly prodromic. I think my mental health is waning. That's one option."

"And the other?" Klaus' grin widened.

"It's a signal dream. Telling me to move on to bigger and better things in my life. To stop wasting time on the banalities of life and explore what I truly want."

"You're so forthcoming, it's almost refreshing. Companionship like you doesn't come across very often."

Kurt raised an eyebrow. "So you have managed to appraise my entire personality while we've been talking?"

"I know what I need to. The rest I can learn on the road."

"And what makes you so sure I'm going to accompany you? I'm in _high school_. I'm coming to the end of my junior year. I can't just pack up and leave because you consider me special."

Klaus' lips jutted out and his eyebrows raised at the same time. "Because you know you have power inside you that none of your little friends have. You know you're destined for more and I can give you that. You know, Kurt Hummel, that it's the best thing for you.

"And if you don't realise that, I can easily _persuade_ you."

Klaus stepped forward and tilted Kurt's chin up to look him in the eyes. A sense of panic swept over Kurt.

"Don't move," Klaus commanded, his eyes boring into Kurt's, which were now a deep green colour.

Kurt found himself actually unable to move. It was rather disconcerting.

"Now, you're going to go back to your hotel room and get your things. Leave a note for your friends detailing some reason to go soul-searching. Then come back here and we'll get going. Don't worry, love. I'm going to take very good care of you. Now go. Do hurry. If you wake anybody up, ignore them. I can't have interferers. You're going to run away with me."

Kurt nodded. "I'm going to run away with you."

Klaus grinned darkly. "Excellent." As Kurt turned away, he sighed. "We're going to have so much fun together."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Just a note, this will get pretty dark! I'll put appropriate warnings at the top of each chapter, so look out for that whenever I update this. Thanks for everyone's support and review! xoxo**


	2. Silent Gratitude

Chapter 2- Silent Gratitude

* * *

Klaus tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for Kurt to return from his hotel.

He wondered if he was doing the right thing, compelling some newbie witch to be _the one_ to help him in his ultimate goals. Klaus had dreamed of breaking the curse ever since it had been placed upon him. Through years of research, exploration of the usually mythical and myriad continents, Klaus finally knew the secret to breaking the curse set upon him, limiting both of his powers. The sun limited his vampire abilities and he could only turn during a full moon. It was…exciting for him to think about not having those barriers. Full access to his powers.

Now if only something could be done about that elusive moonstone.

He had the witch, he was almost certain he could acquire the doppelganger, but he needed the moonstone. Getting a vampire would be very easy. A werewolf? No problem. He was Klaus Mikaelson. Kurt _would_ perform the spell, even if he didn't want to. Compulsion was one thing, but Klaus hoped that it would not come to that. He wanted the curse to be broken in amicable fashion and his deceit will have done the trick. It was enough to spread lies across the continent about 'The Curse Of The Sun And The Moon' when, realistically, it was a curse only applicable to him as a hybrid.

Kurt turned the corner, walking nonchalantly back towards Klaus. He was carrying but a few bags, which Klaus thought was good. He would attract less attention that way. If he needed more things, there wasn't anything that Kurt couldn't easily pick up on the way. Mystic Falls was quite a way from New York; they would have to make plenty of stops along the way.

The more Klaus thought about it, the more guilty he felt about the compulsion. But he was past caring about that. Emotions ran deep, but not with him. He had turned off his compassion centuries ago. Breaking the curse was the only thing he cared about.

Kurt smiled robotically and readjusted his bags. The light in his usually interesting eyes had been dulled somewhat by the compulsion and Klaus supposed that he should have felt disheartened by that, but he didn't. He only felt glad that he had managed to acquire such power for his mission. Kurt would definitely prove useful to his cause on numerous occasions, that much he knew.

"I have my bags. I was seen on the way out but I ignored them as per your instructions."

Klaus grinned. "Excellent. We should be ready to go."

Kurt halted, eyes focusing once again. Klaus frowned at the fact that the compulsion had worn off already. Maybe it was a witch thing. "Wait, I still don't understand where we're going or what we're doing. If you're whisking me away from everything I know, you should at least provide me with some insight into my new life."

Klaus shrugged, deciding that that was fair. He would have expected the same. Though what he really found interesting was Kurt's laxness about the situation. The compulsion had faded, yet Kurt had no desire to return to his hotel with his luggage and shake it off as one bad nightmare. "I suppose that's fair. Come, let us find somewhere to talk where we won't be disturbed."

* * *

In the end, Klaus decided to book them a hotel room for the night, realising that Kurt wouldn't be used to travelling at dusk and that daylight would be a better option. If somebody saw Kurt escape, they would be looking for him. At least the search would have dulled a little bit by daylight.

He offered Kurt full use of the mini fridge and the boy removed two Diet Cokes from it and sat down, clicking one open and sipping at it tenderly.

"Food?"

Kurt shrugged. "I don't usually have much of an appetite. I eat because it's sustenance, not because I want to."

Klaus knew that it was something much more than that, but didn't press the issue for now. That would all unravel in time. "Very well. Right, what I'm about to tell you is probably going to be the craziest thing you've heard in your life but every facet of it is the truth. You are a witch, as you have probably deciphered. I am also a supernatural being.

"I am a hybrid between a vampire and a werewolf."

Kurt stared intensely, not laughing, believing Klaus' story. And he hadn't even been compelled. There was always some part of him that had let himself believe those myths and legends could be true. He questioned the origins of such tales, wondering how they could be seen in so much collective detail if they weren't at least partially true. So it didn't come as much of a shock to his system that Klaus was revealing them as a fact of reality. "Okay."

"I'm glad you're quick to understand, Kurt. A lot of people stay reticent for a good few days until I show them exactly how that can be true."

"I can imagine. A lot of people are satisfied with the ordinary."

"But not you," Klaus smirked, "no, you love that there's something bigger contained in this world and that you are a part of it."

"Are you telepathic?"

"No, I'm merely old enough to be able to read character. People are predictable after you meet so many of them, human or not. Though I have a distinct feeling that you may become telepathic after a while, once we enhance your powers."

"Excellent."

"Where was I? Oh yes, the hybrid business. There are two versions of this story, the version I fabricated as a deterrent and the truth. I'm going to tell you both.

"The lie is that there is an ancient curse called the Curse of the Sun and the Moon. Have you heard of it?"

Kurt shook his head. It wasn't as though he was involved in any supernatural doings, besides his endeavours tonight, of course.

"To sum up, a Aztec shaman placed a mutual curse upon both vampires and werewolves to limit their extreme power. Vampires would be bound by the cycle of the sun and werewolves would be only able to turn at full moons. It wasn't exactly a balance, but I tried."

"So you made it up?"

"Entirely. But there is a curse. The Hybrid Curse, applicable only to me. My mother had an affair with a werewolf chief which triggered my conception and unusual attributes. My father was furious and proceeded to limit my powers by placing a curse on me that did the same thing as the made up version."

Kurt nodded. "And you want to break it?"

"I want to smash this curse in this face, Kurt. What's the point of being capable of having this power if I can't use it to my advantage?"

Kurt noticed his words and understood. "And that's why you want to take me with you. So I can use my power to your advantage."

Klaus pondered this quickly. "Don't misunderstand me, Kurt, I want to break the curse, but that's not the only reason you're with me. I see something in you that I once saw in myself so many years ago."

"It's weird, because you don't look more than thirty, yet you're talking about ancient things like you witnessed them. It's a little disconcerting."

Klaus chuckled, stretching out on the bed, tucking his hands behind his head. "I'm thousands of years old, yet I still look this good. It's a gift."

Kurt perched on the edge of the bed timidly. He had never even thought about sharing a bed with a boy before. When Blaine had crashed at his place after the trainwreck party, Kurt had curled up on the floor, too afraid to even think about sleeping in the bed with the boy.

There was no doubt in Kurt's mind that Klaus was ridiculously attractive. Those deep blue eyes and that hard jawline had been immediately noticed by Kurt in the alley.

Klaus smirked. "It's okay, I don't mind you looking. After all, when else do you get the opportunity to admire a handsome hybrid?"

"You're awfully sure of yourself."

"And you're deflecting. How are you feeling about all of this?"

Kurt blinked, surprised. "I can have an opinion?"

"I wouldn't believe you if you didn't."

"What's the point when you can compel me to feel anything you want me to feel?"

"I don't manipulate emotions," Klaus explained, "I only manipulate action. And you're still deflecting from my question."

"I don't want to say it aloud. Fine. I'm confused as to why all of this happening, but I'm…grateful, it think. Grateful that you're giving me something more than I had. It's an opportunity for me to see things I never would have."

"You're thanking me? Well, that was not what I expected. I rather expected you to be outraged that I basically abducted you from your friends."

Kurt shifted, setting down his can. "I don't know, I'll miss my life, I'll miss my family, but I never really fit there. Something was always missing, something that I could never quite explain. I guess now I can. I'm a…witch?"

"An immensely powerful one. You're also not bad company, which is rarer than having magical powers. I can't tolerate a lot of people."

"Oh, I can't either. But you don't seem too bad."

Klaus smiled. "You just like looking at me."

Kurt blushed deeply and Klaus found that he was greatly amused at Kurt's embarrassment. Kurt knew that he was capitalising on his innocence, something that Kurt believed was going to be taken away from him on this adventure. He would have to stand by and see what happened.

"You don't have to disguise it, Kurt. As a matter of fact, I quite looking at you too."

Kurt coughed uncomfortably. "You're lucky I got held back a year and turned eighteen a few months ago."

"You're the eighteen year old that likes looking at a thousand year old supernatural entity. After a while, age becomes blurred. But it is a very good thing that you're eighteen. Now I don't have to feel so guilty about ogling you."

"I'm surprised that you haven't asked why I got held back a year."

Klaus shrugged. "I'm sure you'll tell me if you want to. I'm not going to push you. Though it is late and we should probably rest before tomorrow. It's a big day."

"Will you explain my role in all of this tomorrow?"

"Sure," Klaus agreed, getting up from the bed and rooting through the bag he had brought with him. He stripped off his shirt quickly, leaving Kurt with nothing to do but to stare at the hard body that lay underneath his clothes. Klaus popped the button on his jeans and pulled them down his legs and Kurt tried to look away, he really did. But he was a guy and Klaus was hot.

Klaus smirked at him. "Well, aren't we going to have so much fun together?"


	3. In The Arms Of The Devil

Chapter 3- In The Arms Of The Devil

* * *

Kurt yawned, stretching his arms high above his head as Klaus stirred next to him.

"Did you sleep well?" The hybrid asked honestly. Kurt shrugged.

"The bed was comfortable, but I never usually sleep well. I don't really know why."

"Perhaps you were distracted by present company," Klaus suggested, swinging his legs off the bed and standing, padding towards the bathroom.

Kurt tilted his head at the view in front of him, but quickly blinked. "Maybe," he mused.

"Or perhaps there's still more to you beneath the surface."

Kurt shrugged once more. "Everybody has a secret or two."

"I suppose that's true," Klaus replied from the bathroom. "We're going to be doing quite a bit of travelling today, love. Are you prepared?"

Kurt frowned. "You haven't actually told me where our destination is. I mean, I know we're heading somewhere so you can break the hybrid curse, but as far as I know we're wandering through random chunks of terrain until we reach a mystery destination."

Klaus nodded promptly. "In order to break the curse, there are several things that I will need. All of them are in Mystic Falls, in Virginia."

"Are you going to tell me how the curse is broken?"

"Maybe in time. When I think you can stomach it," Klaus explained breathily as he exited the bathroom.

They left approximately an hour later, making themselves look like ordinary travellers as they walked, hiking through trees and forests to reach Mystic Falls. According to Klaus they had made quite good headway on their first day of travelling.

Night grew quickly, something that had taken Kurt by surprise. He hadn't realised that they had been travelling for so long. He was barely even fatigued.

* * *

A scream caught his attention.

A woman stood in the middle of the road, waving her arms frantically as Kurt and Klaus stepped out of the shadowy woods.

"Help me!" She shouted to nobody in particular.

"Hey, are you okay?" Kurt frowned as she turned towards them.

"W-Who are you?"

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Relax, we're not here to hurt you."

"Debatable," Klaus echoed from behind Kurt.

"What's your name?" Kurt questioned.

"Jennifer," she mumbled. "My car broke down a while back and I've been walking for hours, or what seems like hours. Can you help?"

Klaus groaned dramatically. "Oh love, you have the worst timing. Usually I would love to help you, but I find myself feeling an undeniable thirst and your presence is only igniting that."

Jennifer frowned. "Thirst? What the hell are you talking about? I just need a ride."

Kurt hummed quietly. "Well, we aren't driving, but I'm sure we could find some way to help you."

"If you don't have a car, how can you help me, Prancy?" Jennifer snapped. Kurt snorted, reminding all of a sudden of Santana and _not_ feeling the urge to return to his old life. Even though he hadn't been travelling with Klaus for very long, it still seemed like worlds away. There was a small part of him that wondered what he had signed up for, but it wasn't aching. It was more of a niggling feeling.

Klaus licked his lips slowly. "Don't move."

Jennifer nodded rigidly, arms plastered to her sides. "I won't move."

Kurt's eyebrows shot up as the realisation came. "Klaus, wait. Just wait a minute."

Klaus just smirked. "And why is that?"

"She just wanted help and you're going to…feed from her?"

"You're correct. You wouldn't want me weak and perishable would you? And she was rude to you."

Kurt's skin lighted at his words. "That doesn't mean that she needs to _die_."

Klaus shrugged. "This is how the world works. Survival of the fittest."

"I don't have a say in this, do I?"

"Why should you have one?" Klaus asked.

Kurt sighed exasperatedly. "Because I'm travelling with you. I should be able to object to you killing people in front of my eyes."

Klaus shook his head and smirked. He remembered that Kurt had no idea how the curse would have to be broken. That was going to be a difficult discussion. "I'm the one doing the killing. It's my prerogative. Now, please stay quiet."

Kurt knew that he hadn't been compelled, but he felt obliged to be quiet. He supposed that Klaus was right. He was the vampire and Kurt was the witch. Klaus would have no say in how Kurt chose to use his powers, but they weren't his. In the same light, Kurt had no say on who Klaus chose to feed on. Kurt felt a twinge of guilt for the poor girl in front of him, but it was soon gone. That was surprised Kurt. He had thought that he was much more compassionate than was currently true. Maybe it was the awakening of his magic, but he doubted it. He didn't know much about his magic, and he knew that Klaus was going to find a way to teach him, but he knew what it wasn't capable of changing.

Klaus slipped forward and tore his fangs across the bare flesh of Jennifer's neck. Kurt's breath hitched as the blood washed down Klaus' throat.

Klaus threw the body carelessly to the floor. "Delicious."

Kurt said nothing as he noticed a striking detail about Jennifer that deeply unsettled him.

"Let's continue. Mystic Falls isn't too far away from here. We should be there by tomorrow."

Kurt frowned. "Why are we walking like humans?"

"Arousing suspicion is so not what we need right now. This way, we look like normal hikers."

Kurt chuckled. "Okay, I've never hiked in my life and you just _bit_ a woman. None of this is normal."

"You may have a point there. In a world full of supernatural entities, sometimes the simplicity of merely walking amuses me."

Kurt shrugged. "As long as you promise not to kill anyone else before we get to Mystic Falls."

Klaus chuckled. "I think I can manage that. Jennifer over there was particularly satiating."

Kurt folded his arms. "I'm still not on board with this whole thing. You might want to rethink that whole "I don't compel emotions" deal if you want me to come around to your schemes."

"You're asking me to compel you?"

"Not in so many words. I just don't know how you're going to get me to agree otherwise."

Klaus grinned. "What about my innate charm and understandable philosophies?"

Kurt nudged his shoulder. "Charm can only get you so far. I may need desensitising if I'm ever going to understand this whole supernatural need to feed on people."

"I think part of this journey will enable you to come around to such things. As I mentioned earlier, you do have the chance to say no and return to your humdrum existence where nobody appreciates your gifts…"

Kurt sighed and shook his head.

"I thought as much. Let me put it this way. In order for me to be at my strongest, I require human blood. If I don't get the blood, I grow weak and weary. That is the vampire way."

"Doesn't the werewolf side of you repress those urges for blood?"

Klaus smirked. "You would think."

Kurt pondered that for a moment. "Okay. I guess the feeding is necessary. But the moment it becomes excessive, I'm putting my foot down, okay?"

"Putting your foot down," Klaus chuckled, "oh you do amuse me, Kurt. You're a newbie witch and I am one of the Original Vampires. There is no contest."

Kurt realised as much with a defeatist attitude. He would never be as powerful as Klaus and he hoped that he wouldn't need to be. "Okay. I guess I have no choice but to go along with everything."

Klaus put an arm around his shoulders. "Don't be glum, love. We're still going to have lots of fun together. I think you'll enjoy Mystic Falls. Lots of eye candy."

Kurt froze at the contact, eyes flickering across his peripheral quickly. "Uh…great. Could you please remove your arm?"

Klaus nodded silently. "Is there something you wish to talk about?"

"I'm just…not used to physical contact from males. Most of the time, they've wanted to hurt me. Shoving me or punching me and I just get a little jumpy when it happens."

"Did your father never show affection through physical contact?"

"Rarely," Kurt replied, "but I never really sought it out. I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm telling you this."

"Well, what good is companionship if we do not truly know each other?"

"You're right, again. How is it that you're always right?"

Klaus smiled. "Unmatched ancient wisdom? A disposition that makes me easy to agree with?"

"Maybe you just posit points that are hard to argue against."

"I must say, I am enjoying all of this praise," Klaus said. "Nevertheless, there's a hotel not too far from here where we can stay the night and we should reach Mystic Falls tomorrow afternoon."

Kurt nodded. Now that he thought about it, he was in dire need of a rest.

"You looked tired," Klaus pointed out as thought reading his thoughts.

"Are you _sure_ you're not a telepath?" Kurt asked with a raised brow.

"Definitely. Things would be so much easier if I were. Let's not ponder on that. I can carry you back to the hotel."

"Compel me."

"What?"

Kurt blinked tiredly. "I want you to compel me to let you carry me to the hotel. Ordinarily, I would feel unsafe and insecure, so I want you to compel me. Can you do that?"

Klaus looked at him deeply, his eyes bulging. "Let me carry you back to the hotel."

"You can carry me," Kurt muttered.

Klaus shook his head in amusement and scooped Kurt into his arms. After walking several feet, Klaus was bemused at how well Kurt seemed to fit in his arms. And how often he kept glancing down to look at the boy.

Klaus sensed trouble stemming from this and not even the good kind.


	4. Unlocking Mystic Falls

Chapter 4- Unlocking Mystic Falls

* * *

As they reached Mystic Falls, Klaus insisted that they take a trip to the Grill for some lunch so Kurt could acquaint himself with the vibe of the town. According to Klaus, it would help his magic or something, so Kurt was in no mind to deny it.

They had both slept soundly, though Kurt had to be compelled to sleep through the night. Per his own request, of course. Klaus pointed out a loophole in his magic that allowed compulsion if he desired it for any reason. Kurt had made a quick and predictable joke about his other desires, but Klaus was trying his hardest not to think about that until his mission was complete. He wasn't about to let anything get in the way of his ultimate goal, something that he had longed for all his life. It was now possible and Klaus would stop at nothing to achieve it.

As the door of the Grill closed behind them, Klaus noticed something that made a wicked smile curve his face. This was certainly going to be _interesting_.

So he and Kurt approached the table, looking into the faces of four very unhappy residents.

"What the hell are _you_ doing here?" Kurt heard the moody-looking one ask and he suddenly sensed that Klaus wasn't very well liked by these people. As much as Kurt himself had taken to Klaus' no-nonsense personality and occasional bouts of kindness, he could definitely understand why some personalities wouldn't react the same way.

Klaus shrugged. "Can't a man return to his hometown, one which he occupied before any of you were even born?"

Kurt stifled a smile, wanting to see how the rest of this situation played out without a word from him. He didn't think that Klaus needed any of his input. The man was about as snarky as Kurt himself was.

"Who's the pet?"

Then again, Kurt couldn't really hold himself back sometimes.

"Lose the tone, please. I could probably outclass you in every situation which doesn't involve you beating your chest and dragging your knuckles across the ground. I would imagine, should I closely peruse the skin covering them, I would find them to be calloused and scratched from the rough state of the Mystic Falls sidewalks."

"With a mouth like that, you could _peruse_ anything you wanted to."

Klaus flashed his teeth menacingly. "That's quite enough of that, Damon. I guess introductions are necessary. Kurt, this is Damon and Stefan Salvatore, Elena Gilbert and Caroline Forbes. You lot, this is Kurt Hummel."

"I would usually say it was a pleasure to meet you all, but your simian friend over there has made quite a bad first impression on me."

Caroline stood up promptly. "I'm Caroline, it's really nice to meet you. Even if you are conspiring with Satan, anyone who wears this season's Prada is okay with me."

"Might I say you're very beautiful."

"Yes, yes, Kurt is fashionable and Caroline is beautiful, must we linger on such menial issues when there's clearly something larger at the table. You four are hiding something and I will find out what it is."

"What makes you think we know something?" Stefan asked.

"The fact that Elena has the worst poker face I've ever seen. It's almost like she _wants_ me to know and is desperate to tell me. I'll leave you be before the big mystery is ruined. Oh and just a note, if any of you even _think_ about harming Kurt in any way, I'll have your heads. Got it? Okay. Let's go, Kurt."

Kurt left with Klaus, sending a glare to Damon and a conversely sweet smile to the rest as he walked away from them.

As they let the gentle Mystic Falls breeze wash over them, a tentative smile crept onto Kurt's face.

"So clearly there's history between you and Caroline."

Klaus froze, stopping dead in his tracks. "What makes you say that?"

"Oh come on, it's obvious. Elena has no poker face, but you're equally as readable. At least to me, anyway. The way you were looking at Caroline, there are obviously feelings there. Or at least there were."

"Caroline is a very special girl." That was all he said.

"And that tells me all I need to know on that matter. You fell for her and she had no time for you. Correct me if I'm mistaken."

Klaus' eyes turned sad and Kurt regretted bringing it up. It was quite insensitive of him. "Do you really think a girl like Caroline would entertain someone like me even for a second? For a vampire, she's surprisingly considerate."

"Don't discount yourself, Klaus."

"I'm a cold-blooded killer and I have no qualms with that. It's not like I deserve good things after what I've done."

"Think about your past, everything you've been through. If all of that hadn't happened, think about where you might be. We certainly might not have met."

"And wouldn't that have been a true shame. I'm surprised you're sticking around."

"When I look at you, Klaus, I see so many things. Yes, I see the monster in you, but that's a part of you that's as equally important as all the others. Beyond that, I see a man who loves and cares about people. I think you just have a hard time distinguishing between the two."

"Has your telepathy come through already?"

Kurt shook his head quickly. "Think about it. If you're capable of an intricate, complex emotion such as love, then don't you deserve it?"

"I suppose you may have a point. Anyway, let's put a stop to this introspection, it doesn't do well to linger on such feelings. That only breeds self-doubt and that's the last thing anybody needs right now."

"I didn't think you were even capable of self-doubt."

Klaus appraised him seriously. "Everyone is capable of self-doubt, Kurt. Even me. Though I'm not surprised you think such a human emotion is beyond me."

"I didn't mean that, I just…you have such a confidence about you that it's hard to imagine you doubting yourself. In hindsight, I suppose everybody has a façade."

"You're certainly right about that."

"So what are we doing today?"

"Well, I'm going to show you around the town and then there are a few people I'd like for you to meet." Klaus smirked at the thought, which made Kurt a little uneasy.

"Not to worry, love, they're good people. I think you'll like them just fine." Klaus paused for a second, reading Kurt's expression. "Ah, I see. It's not that you're worried about."

Kurt shrugged. "People don't really take to me too easily. Most never really try, but those that do find themselves not wanting anything to do with me."

"And there's that self-doubt. Trust me, Kurt, you have nothing to worry about. You're an exceptional person. You'd have to be to be accompanying me on a journey as personal as this one is. I don't just pick anybody for these tasks, you know."

"I guess not. Anyway, let's put this conversation in a tightly-sealed box and continue on with our day, okay?"

"That's good with me. You know, I'm always ears for a conversation, though. If you have something on your mind, you should say it."

Kurt paused for a moment. "Maybe another time, but thank you for the offer."

In that moment, Klaus knew that there was something about Kurt that was going to come out sooner or later and he had a distinct feeling that it wasn't anything good. He could sense fragility within Kurt that was completely masked by his air of strength and confidence. He knew that there was something eating away at the witch that was going to consume him if he didn't deal with it sometime soon. Klaus hoped to be there when he did.

* * *

Kurt stepped into Klaus' home, surprised by the lack of simplicity. There was art on almost every wall, ones that seemed particularly selected for the space it inhabited. Kurt's favourite one was of a beautiful ocean landscape, two people looking out over it. It was so meticulously painted that it had to be very personal, Kurt could tell by just looking at it.

"You have good taste."

Kurt chuckled. "Says the guy with about a dozen beautiful paintings hanging in his house. These are gorgeous."

"Thank you. I happen to know the artist very well."

"Wait, you mean…did _you_?"

"It's a hidden talent of mine. I like sitting and creating something from nothing. A blank canvas with no colour or no life suddenly turns into…well, anything you want it to be. Do you paint?"

"Me, absolutely not," Kurt laughed. "I just appreciate good art. When it comes to creating it, I'm not the greatest."

"So what do you do? You don't strike me as the type to spend your time doing nothing."

"I'm a performer. Singer, dancer, actor, all of the above."

"I can definitely see that."

Klaus' next words were interrupted by a low female voice that crept through the house.

"Is that my least favourite brother in law?"

Klaus rolled in his eyes. "Devil spawn," he muttered.

When she entered, Kurt's mouth fell open.

Klaus chuckled amusedly, leaning into Kurt's body. "Doppelgangers. Whatever you do, don't call her Elena," he whispered. "Katerina, how lovely to see you."

"Always a true pleasure, Klaus. And I take from the bemusement, this one's already met Elena."

Klaus nodded. "He's new to this world, Katherine. Cut him some slack."

She smirked. "He's _very_ pretty."

A man entered at those words, standing behind Katherine. He was tall and sophisticated and familiarly attractive, his suit immaculately clean. Kurt wondered if there was an impossible beauty quota in Mystic Falls that had to be filled to live there. He hadn't seen one person who didn't look like a god or goddess.

"I hope you're playing nicely, Katherine."

"I always do," she shrugged in a way that told Kurt that she did not always play nicely.

"Is this him?"

Klaus nodded. "This is Kurt Hummel. Kurt, this is my brother, Elijah and his devil girlfriend, Katerina."

"I go by Katherine," the woman said, glaring at Klaus, as she reached over to shake Kurt's hand.

"Nice to meet you."

"Likewise. It's about time Klaus took an interest in someone with standards."

Elijah stepped forward suavely. "It's lovely to meet you, Kurt. I hope you'll be sticking around for a while."

"I'm not really sure what my plans are yet."

Klaus nodded. "We haven't set out a timeline for anything just yet."

Elijah's eyes flashed with something Kurt couldn't quite make out. "Niklaus, a word please?"

Klaus rolled his eyes but followed Elijah out into the kitchen.

Kurt took a seat as Katherine sat opposite him.

"Get used to this, they're forever having private conversations about really serious shit that nobody really cares too much about."

"Are they close?"

Katherine shrugged. "Sometimes. They care about each other more than they let on to other people, sometimes even each other. But when it boiled down to it, they would protect each other over anything else. Getting involved with a Mikaelson can be tricky, so I'd be careful if I were you."

Kurt blushed fiercely. "Oh, no, I'm not—."

"Oh, cut the crap. Listen, the twenty seconds I've been in this room, I've sensed more sexual tension that I do between most actual couples. You're both interested in each other. I'm right, aren't I?"

Kurt shrugged. "I don't know. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't attracted to him, but that might be just a Mystic Falls thing. You're all gorgeous. I've never really been able to separate feelings from just…guys being nice to me."

"Sounds understandable. It can't be easy going through that stuff in a small town. Klaus mentioned it to Elijah a couple of days ago. I have to say, I've never really trusted many witches before, but you seem okay."

"I don't really know what I'm doing, if I'm honest."

Katherine smirked. "I tell you, kid, nobody really does."

"Klaus hasn't told me much about what he's doing."

"So how do you know you want to be a part of it?"

Kurt sighed. "There's something about him that makes me trust him. I mean, I could tell how disliked he is by others just by walking into the Grill, but I don't know. He _saved_ me from my own life, which sounds incredibly dramatic but it's true. Nothing was really adding up back in Ohio. Going to New York showed me that there was more to life than what I had."

"And then that was what flipped you on your ass when you realised you could manipulate magic," Katherine drawled.

"I sense animosity against witches."

"I haven't had a great experience with them, that's all. You don't seem awful."

"Strangely, that's one of the nicest things I've ever heard."

Katherine clapped his back, not patronisingly. "That's pretty sad, Kurt."

He laughed. "I suppose it is. I never really thought about it before."

"I wouldn't think about that too much."

* * *

Somehow, Kurt found himself alone in the kitchen with Elijah. Klaus wandered off to talk to Katherine and left Kurt wondering what all the private conversations were about today.

Kurt liked Katherine quite a bit, though he got the impression she was a lot more similar to Klaus than she liked to consider herself. Maybe that was why they were enemies, keeping it civil for the sake of Elijah.

"I'm glad we've got the chance to talk for a while."

"Me too. The more people I know here, the better."

"Not just that. It's slight…but I've noticed a change in my brother already. Not many people have such an effect on him. Actually, not many people have an effect on him at all."

Kurt grinned. "I can imagine. He's very…unique."

"Unique isn't the word," Elijah smiled back. "He can be difficult. I understand a problem arose with his feeding…disposition."

Kurt shrugged. "I didn't really think properly about it before. Klaus has to feed to survive and be strong so he can be who he is. It just seemed so…savage that I was blinded by it."

"Or blinded by my brother?"

Kurt's face was hard. "I am not blinded by Klaus."

Elijah nodded sarcastically. "Sure, okay, let's go with that."

"How are you two so different but yet so similar?"

"The familiar resemblance is one thing, but we were raised very differently. I'm sure Niklaus will tell you the story sometime. Though I will say one thing about the two of you: if you're thinking of pursuing something, make sure that you are absolutely certain that it is what you want. If you later decide it isn't what you want, it'll hurt him. He'll pretend it won't, but he'll be lying."

Kurt nodded promptly. "Noted."

As he and Elijah continued talking, Kurt couldn't help but think about Klaus the entire time. _He_ would be lying if he said he wasn't interested, at least a little bit, but he wasn't sure he wanted anything further, not for right now. Maybe sometime in the future, yes, but he barely knew Klaus. There was a lot of ground they both had to cover with each other before anything was even an option. There was a lot Klaus didn't know about him, too, secrets he had concealed from even the closest of his friends.

That struck a chord, but not for the reasons he thought it did. It had been a few days since he had disappeared from New York. New Directions would be leaving for Ohio the next day. Surely his absence had been noted and his father informed. People would be looking for him. Authorities, possibly. How would he be able to keep himself hidden when he had already been seen by people in Mystic Falls? Not many, but he was pretty recognisable.

Suddenly Kurt knew what he needed to do.

"Kurt?" Elijah spoke quietly. "Is everything okay?"

It wasn't going to be pretty, but it would work.

Kurt nodded convincingly, keeping away the anxious quiver of his lips. "Yeah. Everything's just fine."

He was going to fake his own death.


	5. Get Out Of My Head

Chapter 5- Get Out Of My Head

* * *

"You want to _what_?"

Kurt sighed, biting his lip lightly. "I want to fake my own death. I forgot that I've been gone for a while now. There's probably some kind of search party in Lima and New York looking for me if my Dad has anything to do with it."

Klaus appraised him curiously. "Are you having second thoughts about joining me on my mission?"

Kurt shook his head, perhaps a little too quickly. "Absolutely not! I want to help you see this thing through until the end, Klaus. As long as you want me around, I'll be here. I promise you that. I just think we need to be taking precautions about my conspicuousness. If I'm away from Lima, there's going to be somebody looking for me."

Klaus had an idea. "You don't think that they've simply given up? Assumed you're dead and gone or maybe they simply don't care?"

Kurt hesitated. "I don't know. Most of Lima would be glad to assume that I died in New York without anybody knowing. But even though me and my dad weren't the closest, he'll know that I'm alive. Some parent thing, apparently."

Klaus tutted. "It's been a week, now, Kurt. Nobody has tried to get through to you. The sooner you accept that, the better."

Kurt accepted that with a nod. There was a part of his being that was filled with sadness at the thought of nobody caring, nobody looking to find him. But part of him relished it; it meant that he could move on with his new life as a witch. That still felt weird, even in his head. "So…no faking my death?"

Klaus shrugged. "It might be a good idea, just to keep the humans off our backs. Then again, it could backfire. You could choose to abandon this life altogether. A lot of witches grow resentful of their abilities and choose to live life as humans who conceal their magic. There are more of them than you would even believe. Then what would you do? You'd have to go back to Ohio."

Kurt frowned. "Why? I've left that life behind. If there was a price to pay for joining you, it's leaving everything I've ever known. Why would I think about going back there?"

Klaus shook his head. "Where else would you have that you could go, Kurt?"

Kurt mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "New York".

"New York? Who do you know in New York? I thought you were only there for a school event."

Kurt slapped his hands against his sides. "Well, then I don't know. I guess I didn't think too much about the long term. I didn't think about what would happen when you break the curse and when you don't need me around anymore."

Klaus frowned. "Though I would have thought the implication was obvious, Kurt."

"What implication?"

"That you would stay with me, even after the curse is broken. I thought that was a given."

Kurt blinked harshly. "The way I saw it, you needed my help and nothing more than that."

Klaus sighed. "Kurt, there are a dozen other witches I could have chosen for this mission, willing or not. Do you remember what I said when you asked this question before?"

Kurt leaned back in his seat and thought about it. "Uh, you said that you saw something of yourself in me and that's why you wanted me around, so that you could expand my powers."

Klaus nodded. "Exactly. As much as you're helping me with breaking the curse, I'm helping you too. Helping you to realise your true potential. We need each other."

Kurt didn't want to admit how much that was true, but he suspected Klaus already knew. He was astute and possibly a mind reader, Kurt rather thought.

"We'll take it a day at a time for now, okay? But if the situation arises where attention is drawn to you, we'll deal with that when we need to."

Kurt shrugged. "Okay. That sounds logical."

"You hate it so much when I'm right," Klaus smirked.

Kurt gaped. "Because it happens literally all the time! You know, I'd _love_ to be right. Just once. Is that too much to ask for?"

Klaus chuckled. "If you say something that proves me wrong, I'm happy to concede being right just once."

Kurt winked. "I'll work on it."

* * *

"You want to _what_?" Elijah gasped.

"Why is everybody reacting this way?" Kurt asked, exasperated.

"Because it's a ludicrous idea, Kurt."

"Okay, fine, it's not one of my best, but I recently abandoned my entire life to follow a proven murderer across the world to help him with a seemingly ridiculous mission. I think I'm due a good idea."

"You would think," Elijah smiles, though not unkindly.

"I say do it."

"Katherine!"

"What? I think it'd be fun. I've faked my death before. It's nice to see how people would really react. Gives you a better sense of yourself. And plus, it's really, really fun to cause of all that mayhem over something that isn't even true. It's lying _and_ suicide at the same time and everyone gets so up in arms about suicide."

Elijah rolled his eyes at Kurt's interested expression. "Sure, take advice from the she-demon."

Katherine smirked. "You love it when I'm a bad influence on impressionable teenagers."

Kurt tilted his head. "You might not want to make that a regular occurrence."

"It's more fun than it sounds. Especially whenever I see Elena. She sees what she could be if only she'd turn."

Kurt frowned. "You _want_ Elena to become a vampire?"

Katherine sighed. "Well, no. If I ever need to kill her, it's easier if she's human, but it's also exhausting to look at her and see her wasting her potential."

"We're getting off track. Kurt, the main point here is that as long as nobody comes looking for you, you'll be fine. You shouldn't strike first if it's not necessary. That would just draw attention to Klaus, to us, to every supernatural creature in Mystic Falls. We'd all be and risk and for what? So that your fake friends in Lima can mourn you? They haven't called you, Kurt. I'm sorry, but it's true."

Kurt nodded weakly. "I guess I knew they never really cared," he whispered, checking his phone _just in case_. "I guess you're right. There's no point in stirring the pot if I don't need to. And I wouldn't want any of you to get hurt."

"What if we fake your death and pin it on Damon?"

Kurt paused, pointing at Katherine whilst looking at Elijah. "I like that idea."

Elijah smiled crookedly. "As much as I love the thought of Damon Salvatore rotting away in a maximum security prison cell, there are still too many variables. Somebody has already identified Stefan from pictures of 1864. It's only a matter of time before they spot you too, Kat."

Katherine shrugged. "So we just compel them."

"That can't be your answer to everything," Elijah retorted wisely.

Katherine looked back to Kurt. "So no suicide, Kurty. Okay?"

"Yeah, okay. Guess I'll have to find other ways to cause chaos." Kurt had meant it as a joke, but was encouraged by the wide smile that appeared on Katherine's face.

"Now _that's_ more like it."

* * *

Kurt travelled through the narrow halls of Mystic Falls High School, groaning at the signs that said "GO TIMBERWOLVES" and "SCHOOL SPIRIT FOREVER!". He had not missed small town high school life and it had only been a couple of days.

It had been Klaus' idea.

Instead of him dying, Kurt would be able to enroll in high school and still keep up the appearance of a normal teenage boy. He could make friends around the town as well as keep up with his studies. For all the feeding on humans he did, Klaus Mikaelson was rather insistent about a good education level. He knew Kurt knew it all anyway, but the diploma was something that Klaus knew Kurt wanted. Proof that he survived high school when sometimes he hadn't thought that as an option.

"Kurt!"

Kurt spun around, instinctive nervous energy taking over him. When the blonde blur of Caroline Forbes ran over to him, he instantly relaxed. There was something about this girl that calmed him. She wasn't a typical vampire and he wouldn't have even known that fact if not for Klaus. Her human movements were down to a science.

"Caroline Forbes, hello there."

Behind her was a gorgeous brunette boy, who looked like the epitome of a jock type. His brooding bone structure reminded Kurt of every sports magazine he had ever seen. Which didn't add up to a lot, but he thought that every detail mattered in this new town.

"How are you doing? I didn't know you were enrolling. I figured Klaus would've had you running errands all day or something equally as tyrannical."

Kurt smiled because Caroline just got it. She was easy to talk to, made jokes where appropriate but also conveyed kindness in her tone and word choices. She was everything Brittany had been, but in a more self-aware kind of way. "Shoe shining is this evening, actually," Kurt joked back. The boy in the background smirked at him.

Caroline frowned before spinning back around. "Oh! This is my friend, Tyler Lockwood." Kurt offered his hand to shake and the boy accepted it firmly.

"Nice to meet you. Even if you are Klaus' new toy."

Kurt narrowed his eyes but Caroline stopped him.

"Easy, Kurt, Tyler and Klaus have a weird history. It's nothing personal, well not in your case anyway."

Tyler looked immediately apologetic. "Yeah, I, uh, sorry. It's just messed up at the moment. But I'm working on it."

Kurt nodded. "No problem. Everyone has their things."

Caroline smiled. "I'm glad you know that right off the bat. Because this town is truly batshit crazy. You think you've seen things already? Think again, because Mystic Falls is just one big cauldron of fucked up shit.

"Take this for an example: I'm a vampire, right? So my mom is the police chief in this town and also the lead vampire hunter. And little does she know one's been living under her roof for the past seventeen years."

Kurt gaped. "Yeah okay that is weird. I thought Lima had its issues."

"You'll have to fill me in sometime. I'd love to hear about it," Carole said, enthused, in a way that Kurt perceived as her genuinely interested and wanting to hear about his life. "So how are things at MFHS so far?"

Kurt shrugged. "Not terrible. I haven't been verbally or physically abused yet, so it's already better then Ohio, but I haven't really taken to anything just yet. You guys don't have a lot of clubs here."

Caroline shook her head. "It's really just cheerleading and other sports stuff. There's History Club and some academic options, but they're not really that well organized. History Club is run by Alaric, Mr. Saltzman, who is a wonderful teacher. Are you a History nerd?"

"I get good grades, but I wouldn't call myself a nerd for History."

Caroline smiled kindly. "We'll find something for you, I'm sure. You seem to have potential."

"Thanks, I guess. Wait, did you say Mr. Saltzman?"

"Yeah, why?" Caroline frowned.

"Nothing, I just have him first period. I guess it's good that he's a good teacher."

"He's also a good friend. Clued in on the supernatural stuff. He'll probably sniff you out before the class is done."

Tyler smirked. "He's also a hot piece of ass."

Kurt raised his eyebrows.

"Tyler's bi," Caroline filled him in, "but he doesn't flaunt it."

Tyler shrugged. "Why should I? I like banging girls and I like banging dudes, it's no big."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "You say that as if you could get either of them to bang you."

Tyler deflated a little bit, but Kurt noticed his lingering stare. He immediately felt unnerved, something pulsing through him that he definitely didn't like. He exhaled, flustered.

Caroline paused. "Kurt, are you okay? Your heartrate is through the roof." At Kurt's nonplussed gaze, she added, "I can hear your heart. Super vampire hearing."

Kurt thought this explained a lot of Klaus' perceptions over the past few days. When he was nervous or admiring the other, Klaus would pick up on it through listening to his heart. And wasn't that just the essence of romance?

"And now it's beating even faster. Kurt, what is going on?"

Kurt shook his head. "I don't know. I'm gonna hit the bathroom before class and try and calm down."

Kurt took off for the boys' bathroom, which was luckily down the hall from him. He burst through the door and straight into a firm body. He looked up slightly, seeing a blond boy looking down at him.

"Oh god, sorry about that."

He waved it off. "No need. This two way door situation was never a good idea."

Kurt couldn't help but _again_ realise that this boy was impossibly beautiful. "Apparently not."

"You're the new guy, right? Kurt something?"

"Hummel," Kurt finished, smiling.

"Ah. I'm Matt. Donovan. Elena was telling me about you."

Kurt faltered. "What exactly did she tell you?"

"It's cool, man, I know about all that stuff. I'm not anything, but most of my friends are in some form or another. I just kinda tag along. If you ever need anything, just let me know, okay?"

Kurt nodded as Matt left the bathroom with a quick goodbye. Hoping to not run into any more boys in the bathroom, Kurt stared into the mirror.

His eyes had flecks of red in them now that were not present before. He looked demented, haunted by something he knew not. He didn't really recognize himself anymore, something had snapped within him.

Whether it was his inner dark side expressing itself through Klaus' presence or his inner magical potential thrusting itself onto his exterior he didn't know, but they were his best guesses.

Whatever was happening, he wasn't sure that he hated it entirely, it was just _different_. A lot to accommodate himself with. But one thing he did know was that high school was going to be a lot easier.

And it was everything else that was the hard part.


End file.
